Apple warns against putting wet iPhones in rice, recommends alternative

Long well before smartphones became waterproof, it was generally seen as a rule of thumb to place a smartphone in a bowl or bag of rice if it had come into contact with fluids in order to absorb these fluids. Even waterproof devices such as the iPhone 15 can be damaged by water, for example, during incorrect repairs or when charging the device with water in the Lighting-/USB-C port.

In a new support document, Apple explains how users should proceed when the iPhone detects liquid and displays the corresponding warning on the screen. The manufacturer strongly recommends against attempting to dry the iPhone with hot air, such as with a hairdryer, or with cotton swabs. Contact with rice is also not recommended. According to an experiment by BBC Science Focus, however, rice indeed works in quickly drying smartphones. But according to Apple, small particle ingress into the iPhone, i.e. into its charging port, can result in damage.

Instead, Apple recommends using the fingers to tap the iPhone in such a way that much liquid as possible seeps out. Afterwards, users should let the device air out in ambient air for at least 30 minutes. Recharging an iPhone whilst liquid is in the port can lead to corrosion, which itself can result in permanent damage. Recharging in spite of a wet port connection should only be carried out in emergencies. If possible, users should fall back on wireless charging in such a case.